


Slowly, and in no Hurry

by GayKiba



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Every time I see fanart of Keith and Hunk kissing I want 2 die i love it so much, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn, so I'll just channel that into this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-24 00:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9689507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayKiba/pseuds/GayKiba
Summary: At some point, Keith had just been there.That was the only way Hunk could explain it. One day, he’d just looked up, from whatever he was tinkering with, or whatever he was stirring, and Keith had been there, and it hadn’t been a surprise.





	1. A New Regular

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try writing a story within a set amount of chapters? It's fun getting to type a number instead of just leaving the question mark. Also I can't stop listening to A Tribe Called Red's 'Native Puppy Love' it's really good.

At some point, Keith had just been there.

 

That was the only way Hunk could explain it. One day, he’d just looked up, from whatever he was tinkering with, or whatever he was stirring, and Keith had been there, and it hadn’t been a surprise. It was just regular by now; Hunk would be doing his thing, only Keith would be there with him. When Hunk was cooking, he’d be slouched against the bench, or by the oven, watching him work. By virtue of being there he was also often the first person to try whatever he’d made; he never offered to help, and Hunk wasn’t really sure if maybe he should welcome him to or not, but he’d taste-test, and help with the cleaning up, wiping down the benches as Hunk washed the dishes.

 

Sometimes Hunk would be in the hanger, messing with wires and whatever else a pilot like Keith wouldn’t be interested in, but he’d still be there, sitting on the worktable, out of the way. Once, Hunk had spent an hour and a half on his back on the floor, half in an air duct, wondering where some weird smell was coming from, and by the time he realized Lance had just spilled his face mask stuff near a vent, he also realized Keith had gone through his stretching routine twice right next to the toolbox.

 

Even when they were with the others Keith stuck near him. Without the heat of confrontation to distract them, the red paladin would sit next to him, knees sometimes brushing as they relaxed. Lance could start nit-picking from Hunk’s other side and all Keith would do was lean his head back more to glare at him from across the backs of Hunk’s shoulders. Once Hunk had gotten up to do a juice run to the kitchen, only to run into Keith on his way back; he’d held out his hands to take some of the glasses, expression almost expectant.

 

It wasn’t like Keith was bothering him, or anything; Hunk was just a little confused. Keith stuck close, that much was true, but they never _did_ anything; they didn’t talk and Keith didn’t participate in whatever Hunk was doing. He just watched him, or seemed to contemplate whatever it was he thought about, or sometimes fiddled with his bayard.

 

Well, Hunk didn’t mind either way. Keith could do what he liked, but sometimes he just felt bad when he was done. After the first few times Keith had mostly followed him to his room, Hunk had started announcing when he was finished.

 

“Well, that’s me done! You gonna do anything now, Keith?” He’d ask, and if he watched, the red paladin’s eyes would widen briefly before he’d say something like ‘training’ or ‘turning in’ or just ‘no’. Keith would get up and leave, and Hunk would watch him go, and wonder.

 

Everyone started expecting it, too. If Keith wasn’t training or in his room, he was with Hunk.

 

“Hey Keith,” Pidge would greet him briefly, before she and Hunk launched into one of her experiments or another.

 

“Keith! Hunk! There you two are; mind of I borrow him for a minute?” Shiro had asked _Hunk_ once, and Hunk had frowned, bewildered, before spreading his hands in an ‘what? I don’t- Why-?’ sort of gesture. Keith had actually chuckled before he’d followed after Shiro, hands in his pockets. That was what had really stuck with him.

 

“Keith-! Ah! Hunk! Just the man I was looking for!” Coran had greeted them with, clapping his hands together briskly before dragging Hunk off to help him with something to do with the heating system, Keith slouching after them.

 

It was Lance, though, that finally just asked. “Hey Hunk, what do you and Keith do all the time?”

 

Hunk, who had been flipping through an Altean vocabulary book, glanced over at Lance, who was buffing his nails at the low table in his room. Hunk just twisted his mouth to the side and shrugged.

 

Lance frowned. “What the Hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Search me. We don’t really do anything; Keith just hangs while I do stuff,” He said. It sounded weird actually saying it out loud to another person.

 

“What? That’s weird. That’s it?” Hunk nodded. “That’s weird,” Lance repeated, scoffing. He inspected the shine on his nails carefully before continuing. “He seriously just sits around while you work?” Hunk nodded, his attention straying back to the page he was on. “Man, that guy has no idea how to make friends.”

 

Hunk paused. Friends? Was that seriously what had been going on this whole time? Keith had been trying to make _friends_ with him?

 

It plagued him for days after that. On one hand; why him? They didn’t really have that much in common, Hunk thought; wouldn’t Shiro be a better fit? Well, it wasn’t like a guy couldn’t have more than one friend, and they were brothers-in-Voltron and all, but… Keith? He just didn’t seem the type. Not to hang out with _him_ , at any rate. Maybe a guy like Lance- well, they got on about as well as oil and water, but still. Hunk would say they were friendly after the perfunctory animosity.

 

Why hadn’t Keith said anything, then? When it came to the heat of an impending fight, Keith spoke just fine; blunt and to the point, stubborn in giving his opinions. He was fine talking when someone goaded it out of him, too. Hell, even Hunk had done it on occasion. On his own though, without any external pressures, Keith was just… really quiet. It didn’t seem like he had a problem talking, either; just less to say than most.

 

Hunk was still stumped over the idea of Keith wanting to be friends with him when Keith showed up, hopping up onto the work bench next to some blueprints Coran had dug up for him. He was taking apart a small heater to see why it didn’t actually heat up when he plugged it in. Space could get cold sometimes.

 

“Hey,” Hunk mumbled, pondering a small unit that had wires a colour he wasn’t even sure of sticking out of it.

 

“… Hey,” Keith said, after a moment, which grabbed Hunk’s attention. It made him realize; he’d never actually greeted Keith before, had he? He glanced over to him, noticing he was staring at Hunk’s hands.

 

Well, either way, it couldn’t hurt to be a little friendly, right? “I’m not even sure what this thing is,” He sighed, and saw Keith’s eyes widen, like they did when Hunk said he was finished for the day.

 

“Doesn’t say?” Keith asked, indicating to the blueprints with a look. Hunk counted that a victory.

 

“Well, I know it’s part of the central heating, but I have no idea what it does. Is it not working? Is it supposed to be wired to itself like this? Coran said he’d look around again, see if he can come up with anything more detailed,” Hunk went on. Keith made a hum of acknowledgement.

 

So began a new regular between them. Hunk would talk and talk and talk, droning on about whatever he was doing, and Keith would sometimes grunt when he finished a sentence. It didn’t really interfere with his work either; sometimes it was even helpful, and Hunk glanced up more than once to find Keith staring at what his hands were doing with intent, nodding slightly as he listened.

 

Eventually though, Hunk’s duties would finish, and they’d part ways for the night. Hunk found himself lingering, checking things over that he already knew were fine just to spend a couple extra moments in his company. It was strange; sometimes he found himself wanting to tell Keith something, and was surprised to find him not there, and felt bereft for it.

 

Finally, Hunk decided to just come right out with it; what was the worst Keith could do, say no?

 

“Hey, Keith; if you’re not doing anything, do you wanna just… hang out in my room for a bit?” Hunk offered in a rush.

 

Keith’s eyes widened again, and then it dawned on him; he was _surprised._ “Yeah. I would.”


	2. A Slow Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Oh,’ Hunk realised, so quietly he could hardly put it into words. ‘I think I like him.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you guys don't think this is OOC! This was actually my second attempt at voltron fanfiction so I was concerned.  
> I'd like to think Lizzo's song 'Scuse Me' helped me write this chapter.

Well. Keith was in his room now. It was… very, very surprising, but not… bad. No, not at all. Keith was sitting on the floor, leaning back against his bed, and Hunk had to say that he did not mind it one bit. Next to him, sitting on the mattress, Hunk propped his face up in one of his palms, his elbow on his knee, and stared at Keith.

 

“So, what do you normally do after we’re done for the day?” Hunk asked.

 

Keith shrugged, his eyes wandering around Hunk’s room. “Train. Sleep.” He glanced over at Hunk and sort of raised his eyebrows a little.

 

Hunk shrugged too. “I mean, I probably snack more, but yeah, same.” Hunk’s eyes then wandered, and came to rest on the book Pidge had translated for him. It was supposed to be a sort of Altaen fantasy, and Allura could not have recommended it highly enough. “Hey, I’m gonna read; you cool with that?” He asked.

 

Keith nodded, and Hunk grabbed his book, reclining against the headboard and cracking it open. It was a little stilted; it didn’t translate exactly, but Hunk liked the plot twists. Keith was sitting down near his foot now, and closed his eyes; Hunk didn’t catch him moving at all as he devoured chapter after chapter.

 

A while later, Keith started getting up. Hunk started (he’d forgotten he was even there!) and Keith paused, his eyes sliding over to the other’s.

 

Hunk gave him a smile. “Night.”

 

Keith blinked, then nodded, and then left.

 

Huh. Well, that hadn’t been so bad. Good, even; Hunk thought that it had gone so well he only waved at Keith to follow him the next night, after they were done cleaning up dinner, and read through five chapters as Keith inspected his bayard.

 

“Do you ever need to sharpen that?” Hunk asked casually.

 

In his peripheral vision, he saw Keith glance over at him. “You ever need to reload?”

 

Hunk laughed quietly, turned a page, and left Keith to it.

 

The next night, though, Hunk realized it must have affected Keith more than he thought. “… Why do you think that is?” Hunk, who was halfway through the climax, blinked a little, and raised his book so he could see Keith. He was already so comfortable having the guy in his space that he was flat out on his bed, Keith’s hair sometimes brushing his bare calf.

 

Keith raised his bayard. “I can cut through metal with this thing and it’s always sharp.”

 

Hunk thought. “Well, on one hand, I wanna just say; alien technology? I mean, they lions are incredible, so I bet a sword that doesn’t go dull is nothing.” Hunk shifted, dropping his book back onto his chest, and thought of how to phrase what he wanted to say next. Keith, to his credit, inched up closer to his torso, his chin resting on the mattress, and waited. “I mean, it probably sounds kinda silly, but… even if it does, or it’s probably not true, it’s like… the lions take care of that sorta stuff for us?”

 

Keith shifted his face, so his cheek was against the mattress. Hunk watched him, and some part of his realized that Keith’s mouth was really… nice? He had nice lips, maybe. “Yeah. No, I get that.” He shifted again, his elbow sliding against the sheets and brushing Hunk’s hip. Hunk didn’t move, but he _felt_ it. “Red’s good to me, too.”

 

Hunk grinned. “Yeah! Exactly.” He went back to his book. Keith didn’t move his arm again.

 

A couple nights later, Hunk had another thought. “Hey, are you comfortable down there?” Keith raised his eyebrows at him. “You want a pillow or something?”

 

Keith shifted how he was sitting, his head pressing into the mattress, and Hunk was surprised it touched his elbow; he hadn’t realized they were sitting so close. “Nah. I’m good.”

 

“Okay, cool,” Hunk said easily. Keith rolled so he was facing the bed and crossed his arms on top of the mattress, resting the side of his face against his forearms. Some of his fringe had flicked up; Hunk had the weird urge to run his fingers through it and fix it straight. After a few minutes, Keith did it himself, though, and Hunk fully immersed himself back into his book.

 

The next week, Keith woke himself up, shifting and stretching, his breath coming deep until he relaxed again. Hunk always wanted to pat his hair whenever he realized Keith had nodded off next to him, but he figured it would wake him up and refrained.

 

After a few quiet moments, Keith spoke up; “Is that book any good?”

 

Hunk looked down at him. Keith’s dark eyes stared back, his arms folded on top of the sheets; it was a position he seemed to favour, his mouth pressed to his forearms.

 

Hunk glanced back at the book. He was up to the sequel. “The whole series? I dunno; Allura said there’s like, seven, and Altean artisans will like structure a memory for viewing? To go along with the series. Like a short film. There’s three, but Allura doesn’t think she has them.” Hunk lifted a hand in a shrug. “She says the first two are her favourites, and I’m enjoying it so far. Why? Wanna try it?”

 

Keith nodded, and Hunk leaned over to the small table at his bedside. Reaching over, his tummy touched Keith’s face, and he felt the other huff a laugh against his shirt before he felt a very pointy pressure; first book in hand, he lifted his arm and glanced down. Keith, a small smile on his face, had propped his sharp chin on top of Hunk’s side.

 

_‘Oh,’_ Hunk realised, so quietly he could hardly put it into words. _‘I think I like him.’_

 

—

 

It was actually a little over a month of Keith spending time in Hunk’s room, and a week or so after Hunk realized how deeply his affections ran for him that they were discovered.

 

“Hunk!” Lance said cheerfully, “Dude, you will not _believe_ this-”

 

Lance paused at the sight of Keith, who currently had his fingertip hooked in a small hole in the seam at the shoulder of Hunk’s shirt. He’d been wondering aloud if Coran could sew as Hunk hummed, non-committal, focused on his book.

 

Hunk glanced up, over at Lance, who was rubbing his eyes. “Hey man; what’s up? Something wrong?” He asked, concerned.

 

“Why is Keith here?!” Lance spluttered out, emphasising for effect.

 

Hunk felt Keith tense up beside him, and frowned. “Because I asked him to?”

 

“What?! Oh… okay,” Lance continued, deflating and shrugging with his hands. “Anyway; Pidge was just messing around, right, and-” Lance launched into his story with gutso, wandering in and taking the chair by the large desk opposite the other two.

 

Hunk laughed when needed as he listened to Lance’s story, but Keith, who had tensed up even more when Lance had entered, held most of his attention. Hunk wanted to reach out a squeeze his arm, or excuse him; whatever made him comfortable again.

 

“Bye,” Keith muttered suddenly, during a lull in conversation, and shot up straight as an arrow before all but bolting from the room.

 

Lance, leaning back in Hunk’s chair, looked vaguely offended. “What was that?”

 

“I don’t know,” Hunk said honestly, slowly, and found himself glancing back at the closed door more often than not, even though he knew it wouldn’t open again.

 

—

 

Keith didn’t exactly avoid him after that, and for that, Hunk was grateful. He didn’t know what he’d do if Keith was suddenly… not-there. His heart was just too tender towards the brooding red paladin for that.

 

Keith still showed up and followed after him, still sat close and mumbled when he spoke, but when Hunk invited him back to his room, Keith declined.

 

“I’m going to train,” He said, hesitating just long enough for Hunk to question if he was lying, before he left. “I have to do something tonight,” He said another time. “… No,” He finally admitted, after a week of flimsy excuses and bald-faced lies.

 

“Yeah, alright then,” Hunk said quietly, trying to mask his hurt and thinking he didn’t do it very well. Keith hesitated, and Hunk watched him, wondering if he’d at least get the truth this time, but all Keith did was dip his head and leave.

 

It turned out; people did notice.

 

“Hey Hunk, are you and Keith alright?” Pidge asked one day, as they were working on the underside of one of the pods. Hunk glossed over the answer.

 

“Hunk, can I talk to you for a minute?” Shiro had requested, and pulled him aside to explain that Keith just sometimes needed time, and to be patient with him. Hunk had nodded throughout. He hoped as much, too.

 

“Hunk! No Keith today, hmm?” Coran had said lightly, catching him on his way to his room before leading the way to the engine room. Hunk had laughed it off, but it sounded lacklustre and quiet, even to his ears, and Coran hadn’t brought it up again.

 

Lance had come bursting in one night to ask him about it, even. Hunk had just been laying back against his pillows, staring up at the ceiling, unable to focus on the book series Allura had recommended so highly. He was up to such a good part, too…

 

“Hunk! Keith?” He looked around the floor. “Aha! I knew it!” Lance folded his arms, victorious. “That guy is totally avoiding you!”

 

Hunk frowned at how happy Lance seemed; it had been upsetting him all week, after all. “Lance…” He started reproachfully, but Lance held up a hand.

 

“Ah-ah-ah! Say no more, my handsome buddy; this is Keith’s problem! If he’s gonna be all _emo_ and beat himself up over you having more friends than him, it’s his problem!” Lance declared with a flourish, waving his hand.

 

Hunk was still frowning, and after a few more failed attempts to cheer him up, Lance let him be.

 

Hunk did consider what he’d said, though. It didn’t sound like Keith to be _jealous_ ; at least not of this. He’d always been perfectly fine with hanging around as Hunk worked with Pidge, after all.

 

It _did_ sound like him to think he was bothering Hunk, though, and try to give him space to see his other friends.

 

Hunk sighed, sat up, and sighed again, louder. Keith was going to make it as difficult as possible for Hunk to just be friends with him, wasn’t he? If he kept being this cute, Hunk would just end up falling even harder for him.


	3. The Old Routine, Brand-New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith opened his mouth, shut it again, licked his lips, then finally managed a: “… Hey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be eating in this chapter.

Hunk decided that he’d just have to take matters into his own hands; this had been Keith’s move, so he had to respond to it. First, Hunk asked Keith what he was doing, now that Hunk’s duties were done. Keith said something quiet about a nap and averted his eyes before disappearing. Next, Hunk carefully made up a sandwich and cut it in half. Then, he went back to his room to pick up the first book in Allura’s favourite series, and strode down the halls to Keith’s quarters.

 

He knocked with more confidence than he felt. What was the worst that could happen? Refuse both his offerings? Then he’d just eat the sandwich himself. Then possibly have a long, sad rejection nap. “Hey, Keith,” He called out, after a few long moments of no response. “It’s-”

 

The door flew open, and Hunk blinked. He thought maybe Keith wasn’t in, or was ignoring him, but evidently not; he felt a little guilty at finding Keith’s wide-eyed surprise a good look on him.

 

Keith opened his mouth, shut it again, licked his lips, then finally managed a: “… Hey.”

 

Hunk smiled. “Hey! Brought you that book you wanted to try.” _‘Or at least asked me about. Were you serious about wanting to try it? Did I read into that?’_ Hunk paused, then lifted the plate slightly. “And a sandwich.” _‘I mean, obviously. What if he doesn’t like sandwiches? Maybe I should’ve made something more simple?’_ Hunk pressed on, however, with the final push; “Can I come in?”

 

Keith’s face was completely bank for one heart-stopping moment, before his eyes widened, just slightly, and Hunk’s anxiety eased as he stepped to the side. Hunk slid in sideways, a smile tugging at his lips when he saw a pile of pillows and sheets on the floor next to Keith’s bed. Keith hurriedly scooped them up and tossed them onto his mattress. Then he turned and faced the other, shoulders stiff, rubbing his palms against his thighs.

 

Hunk took pity on him and lifted the sandwich slightly. “Hungry?”

 

Keith reached out with both hands and took it, bringing it close to him and staring at it as if in reverence. Hunk felt a little bashful at that, and put the book he’d brought down on Keith’s bedside table.

 

“Sorry for barging in like this,” He began, but Keith was shaking his head before Hunk could even finish the sentence. He walked to the bed, still stiff all over, both hands gripping the plate, and sat down. He put the plate carefully on his knees, then gave Hunk a very long stare.

 

Hunk blinked. Keith tilted his head to the side, motioning without looking away from Hunk’s face for a moment. Hunk sat next to him.

 

“… Thanks,” Keith said quietly, before taking up one half on the large sandwich and levying it to his mouth. Hunk’s eyes widened at the size of the bite Keith took (he ate fast, but at least his mouthfuls were usually _manageable_ ) and his cheeks were bulging with food as he started chewing.

 

Still, Hunk was relieved he was eating it, and took the chance to look around at Keith’s room a little. No one’s room really had any furnishings- they were in space, and far from home, after all -but at least they tried. Hunk had some small projects going on at his desk, Lance had his beauty regime dominating most of his, Pidge had stuck blueprints on the walls; Keith didn’t have anything. It was all very Spartan.

 

Hunk found himself staring straight ahead at nothing, thinking how to phrase what he came all this way to ask the boy chewing beside him. “… Did I do something?” Hunk finally queried. He winced a little at how it came out, and extrapolated; “To upset you?”

 

At the end of the day, Lance’s theory could be as nice as he wanted, but Hunk really was concerned; after seeing how he interacted with his other friends, had Keith managed to pick up on his affection for him?

 

Keith stopped chewing. Hunk finally braved looking at him when he noticed, and met Keith’s intense stare. He was a bit taken aback; sure, Keith wasn’t exactly a talkative guy, but having his silent, overwhelming attention full-force was something else. It felt like when he went absolutely still and just _stared_ at the Guardian during training, assessing, evaluating on a level unknown to Hunk himself. Hunk held very still and waited. He couldn’t think of anything else he could do.

 

Keith, cheeks stuffed and stare almost penetrating, sort of bounced upwards, his nose and, most importantly, his _mouth_ , bumping against the side of Hunk’s face. Hunk jerked back a little in surprise, frozen as he watched Keith fall back into his seat and frantically grab for the sandwich he’d forgotten was on his knees, pulling it messily back onto the plate with his free hand.

 

Keith had _kissed_ him. Keith had kissed _him_.

 

Hunk stared, mouth agape, and Keith stared back, wide-eyed, as if he was just as shocked by his own actions. His jaw moved, and then he seemed to realize the food still in his mouth, and turned his face away, down towards the plate, chewing furiously. His ears were red.

 

Hunk licked his lips, touched his face. He felt breadcrumbs under his fingertips. “Wow,” He breathed out.

 

Keith’s swallow was very loud in the resounding quiet. “When-” He began, hesitantly, “When Lance- when he showed up, I…” Keith glanced up at Hunk out of the corner of his eye, tilting his head just enough, fringe obscuring his face. He looked beautiful. “I didn’t want him to.” Hunk’s heartbeat felt very, very loud in his ears; ringing, even. “It’s… different; when I’m with you.” Keith’s ears were so red that he was probably flushed all the way down to his neck. “I- I feel different with you.” Keith’s eyes dropped from his, trailing down to Hunk’s general direction, frowning near his feet. “… I _like_ you.”

 

Hunk could feel his heart melt; it ran through his arms, down his thighs, pooling in his knees and making his fingers tingle. Slowly, he reached out and brushed Keith’s fringe off his cheek with his thumb, the other’s attention riveting back to him. He kept his hand there and started to lean in, almost stopping until Keith responded, turning back to him, his eyelids lowering as he lifted his face up. Hunk kissed him, lightly, closing his eyes for a moment before pulling back.

 

“I like you too,” He thought to say, past the fuzzy, all-consuming knowledge of having kissed Keith Kogane.

 

Keith’s eyes widened, and he took a slow, deep breath in, before he let it out in a rushed laugh, sounding breathless, the upturn of his mouth so much more when it was mirrored in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aand we're done! Look at that! I wrote up the scene I pictured ending this with, too. Did I daydream about Keith Kogane mashing his face against Hunk Garrett's in a kiss with a mouthful of food? Yes I did!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys are satisfied. I know I am. If you wanna leave a comment, or, and this is very exciting, write some Heith too, please do! Let me know so I can see it!


End file.
